1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire fixing device for a window regulator mounted in an automotive vehicle, and more specifically to a wire fixing device for a window regulator, which is easy to install within a narrow inner door space without reducing the strength of the wire fixing device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Usually, an automotive vehicle is provided with a plurality of window regulators each for moving a window glass up and down with a wire by rotating a window drive shaft manually or by a motor (in the case of a power window). In the window regulator, a window glass is supported by a window panel carry unit slidable up and down along guide rails, a wire is fixed to the window panel carry unit via a wire fixing member and the wire is taken up by a wire drive shaft to move the window up and down.
An example of prior-art wire fixing devices for a window regulator is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In these drawings, a glass panel carry plate 101 for supporting a window panel is slidably supported by a guide rail 103. A wire stopper 105 is fixed to a wire 107. The wire 107 is fixed to the panel carry plate 101 by engaging the wire stopper 105 with a wire fixing member 110. In more detail, the wire fixing member 110 is made up of a synthetic resin formed integral with a tongue portion 101a of the panel carry plate 101. This tongue portion 101a is formed by punching the glass panel carry plate 101 into a U-shaped access hole 101b and bending the middle portion thereof at a right angle, as shown in FIG. 2.
In engaging the wire stopper 105 with the wire fixing member 110, the wire stopper 105A as shown by dashed circles in FIG. 2 is first pulled up and then pushed sideward into the wire stopping member 110 passing through the access hole 101b horizontally.
In the prior-art wire fixing device as described above, however, there exist the following shortcomings: (1) since the wire fixing member 110 is supported by the tongue portion 101a of the carry plate 101 in cantilever fashion, the strength of the fixing member 110 is not satisfactorily strong; (2) since the height H (shown in FIG. 2) of the fixing member 110 is relatively large, it is difficult to install the wire fixing member within a relatively narrow inner space formed between an inner panel and an outer panel of a vehicle door; and (3) since the wire stopper 105 is engaged or fixed to the fixing member 110 through two steps of moving the wire first upward and then sideward, it is difficult to engage the stopper 105 with the fixing member 110 in an automatic assembly line; that is, automation of the assembly of the window regulator is more difficult.